A number of changes have been made to the programs and policies of the play. The company describes the update as an expansion of its previously launched "Teacher Approved" program, which includes a review process where teachers and experts vetting apps not just for safety and security elements, but for educational quality and other factors. This program allows apps to gain entry to the Play Store's "Kids" tab if they meet certain criteria.
The changes will increase the number of apps that are eligible to be reviewed for the teacher approved program. These policy updates and other changes will push app makers to come into compliance with stricter regulations and laws surrounding software that targets children.
Two programs were run around apps for kids.
If the app was aimed at children, it was necessary for developers to participate in the program, as well as if the app was for older users. A number of requirements were included in the Designed for Families program, including the use of ads, data practices, use of warning labels, and more.
It was possible for any app in this program to be rated for the Teacher Approved program, but it was not certain.
The Designed for Families program is being rolled into the broader Families Policy. The U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act is one of the laws that requires apps to comply with. Privacy and content restrictions are included in the Families Policy, as well as prohibiting access to precise location data.
The Designed for Families requirements have been merged into the Play Families Policy to make it easier for developers to make apps for kids. All the apps that meet the now more robust Families Policy will be eligible to apply for the teacher approved program.
Only a subset of apps that meet the overarching Families Policy will be eligible for the teacher approved program.
The teacher approved program arrived in April 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 epidemic. Many schools had moved to virtual learning and children were spending more time on their devices to learn and be entertained. More than 200 U.S. teachers were involved in vetting the apps that were chosen for "Teacher Approved"
The panel rated the apps on a number of factors, including age-appropriateness, quality of experience, enrichment, and whether kids enjoy using the app. If the app was approved, parents would be able to see if the app was right for their child.
The teacher approved apps can be found on the "Kids" tab of the Play Store, or they can be found on an individual app's listing. All apps that are compliant with the Families Policy will receive an additional Badge in the Data safety section of their app's listing. The app has committed to the play store's families policy.
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The Families Self-Certified Ads SDK Program was updated recently, as well as the merging of its two family policies. The makers of software development kits, or software used by developers to expand the function of their apps, must now identify which versions of their software are appropriate for use in families apps.
The Families program will only require developers to use the appropriate SDKs in the future.
These changes help to meet stricter regulations being considered, drafted, and enacted worldwide around how software is allowed to handle kids' data, such as the EU'sGDPR and the U.K.'s Age Appropriate Design Code. Meta recently learned that it was fined $400 million for how it treated children's data onInstagram, and that failure to meet these requirements can lead to significant penalties.
Google Play adds a ‘Teacher Approved’ section to its app store
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